There were smiles as well as sadness as J.B. Webster‘s fellow Seafair Commodores joined other friends, family and co-workers in celebrating his life during a memorial service today at Alki UCC. Mr. Webster’s family granted us permission to take photographs during the service; it’s been just five days since the first report of his death after a short illness. His daughter Tyler Webster played “Let It Be” during today’s service:

His son Logan Webster also played piano at the service (“Chimes“). More images from the memorial, and details of the service, ahead:

That’s the crowd spilling out Alki UCC’s sanctuary door. Pastor Jay Kelly delivered the eulogy and prayer:

Among those sharing memories, Joe Gong:

Photojournalist Christopher Boffoli covered the service for WSB and heard highlights of Mr. Webster’s life, as follows:

He was born in 1942 at West Seattle Hospital at the corner of California and Alaska (this drew a roar of laughter from the crowd). He applied for officer candidate school and scored so high on the test that he was accused of cheating. He was eventually given a high level of military clearance but his employer (Boeing) convinced him to stay on working in the private sector and his military service was deferred. He worked in California as a private defense contractor. In the late 60’s and early 70’s he “checked out” and became a hippie, followed the teachings of a maharaja. His son Eli was born at home with midwives and a crowd of about 50 people present. In later years he became an entrepreneur and real estate agent, and of course was a very charismatic and popular member of the Seafair Commodores.

Read at the service by Catherine Alexander, 1 Corinthians 13:

13:1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Earlier coverage: Obituary (with dozens of tributes left in the comment section), here; fund set up for family, here.